


The Way You Look Tonight

by shipatfirstsight



Category: Poldark (TV 2015), Poldark - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Perhaps too fluffy, Smut, So fluffy it hurts, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-08-22 03:34:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8271116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipatfirstsight/pseuds/shipatfirstsight
Summary: If Ross was being entirely honest, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a genuinely good meal; or, Demelza invites Ross over for dinner one night and things sort of escalate from there.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill: I came over for dinner and tried your cooking for the first time and you’re such a good cook I’m practically having an orgasm over here oh my god……….stop laughing at me!! AU
> 
> Sorry about any errors! I'm never sure if it should be mature or explicit, so its rated explicit for safety.

If Ross was being entirely honest, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a genuinely good meal, though if pressed he would say it had been when his mother was still alive. When he was in the military bad food was the norm. And when he came home, he was subjected to either his own non-existent cooking skills or Prudie’s. His father had hired her and her husband years ago as the supervisors for the apartment building he owned, and Prudie was supposed to act as a kind of personal chef, or at least that’s what she was paid for, but she couldn’t cook to save her life. Ross didn’t have the heart to find someone new. They were a fixture in his life, Prudie and Jud, and whether or not they were particularly good at their jobs, he was used to them.

So he had to deal with either of those things, or painfully awkward meals with his uncle’s family, including his cousin’s new wife, who used to be Ross’ own fiancé. Even if the food had been good, he wasn’t sure he would remember. When he was forced to spend a whole meal looking at who he thought was the love of his life enjoying marital bliss with someone not him, the food tasted like saw dust in his mouth.

When Demelza, the woman he’d hired to act as a housekeeper of sorts for him and the building, invited him to dinner because Prudie had broken her arm, he’d had little hope of enjoying the meal. She’d never mentioned that she cooked in all of their conversations, and she never had any food of her own when she joined him for a meal. She was lovely, though, and he’d found he enjoyed her company more and more. He hadn’t expected it, when he’d saved her dog from that horrible group of men and saved her from having to continue living with her father, hadn’t expected to make a friend. She expected little as well, never pressing him for her check when he wasn’t sure he could pay all of his workers on time. She seemed happy enough to live in the apartment complex and have her food provided for her.

She was a hard worker, doing her own work and picking up the slack for Jud and Prudie, and he knew it was out of a sense of obligation to him. Ross had begun inviting her to take her meals with him; he was worried about her, sometimes. Demelza didn’t seem to notice when she was overworked and hungry, but she hadn’t turned down his invitation to eat with him yet. And it had the duel effect of keeping his mind off of…well everything he didn’t want to think about from Elizabeth, his ex-fiancé, to his failing mine and all the people that depended on him. Demelza was…a breath of fresh air in his life, and she made him smile when he thought he would never smile again.

So, even with no hopes for the meal, he agreed to join her for dinner if only to have the pleasure of her company.

The moment he stood outside her door, he found his hopes rising. He could smell whatever she was cooking from the hallway, and it was enough to make his mouth water. He swallowed quickly, raising his hand to knock.

“It’s unlocked,” she called, and he smiled as he twisted the knob and entered her small home.

“What if it hadn’t been me?” he asked, moving toward where he knew her kitchen was, still smiling so she’d know he was teasing.

“Oh, who’d be coming into my apartment but you, sir?” she responded without missing a beat, and his smile widened at the tease so evident in her own voice.

And then he stopped when he came upon her. Demelza’s back was to him, her curly hair in a messy bun on top of her head, bustling around the kitchen. It was the dress that made him stop, though. He’d never seen her in anything other than old t-shirts and jeans, both of which where often marked with holes until she would sew them up. This dress, though, god _this_ dress; all he could do was stare. It fell to her knees, revealing her shapely calves; her feet were bare, and despite his surprise he smiled at how _Demelza_ that alone was. The dress shimmered, seeming to morph between blue and green as she moved, and revealed her trim waist to his eyes for the first time. She looked nothing like the Demelza he’d come to know, and for the first time…well, he wanted her. Then she turned, smiling at him in greeting. The dress looked even better from the front. Ross could se the smattering of freckles along her shoulders and chest, the dress scooping over her breasts tantalizingly.

“Dinner should be ready soon,” was all she said, leaning back against the countertop.

Ross swallowed, his throat feeling suddenly dry. “You look…very nice, Demelza,” and then he winced at the understatement. She looked amazing, gorgeous even, and he wanted to tell her that…but she was smiling wider than she ever had before at the small compliment he had paid her.

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she returned, sweeping her gaze over him quickly. He shrugged self-consciously, tugging on the collar of the suit he hadn’t had a chance to change out of yet, not wanting to be late for their dinner.

“Jim had another hearing today,” he explained.

“How’d it go?” she asked, her brow creasing in concern.

Ross shrugged again. “It doesn’t look good.”

She sighed. “I wish they wouldn’t be so harsh on him.”

_He_ scowled. “The judge doesn’t seem to have a shred of mercy,” he started, ready to go on an angry tirade against the entirety of the justice system…but he felt himself deflate in defeat. “I’m sorry, I came to enjoy a dinner with you, not bother—“

“Oh no, sir! It’s not a bother at all. Even if Jim and Jinny weren’t my friends too, I don’t mind you telling me about what upsets you,” and then she stopped, looking sheepish, like she’d revealed too much. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet; he knew she liked him, in that way, and while he didn’t think he’d done anything in particular to encourage her, he hadn’t done anything to discourage her either. And suddenly he was confronted with the fact that she’d probably dressed up for him; she was making dinner for _him_. He was a little out of practice, and she hadn’t said the words, but this almost felt like a date.

“Is there anything I can do to help with dinner?” _Awkward, oh so awkward_ , he berated himself. She instructed him to set the table, only after he wheedled her a little and insisted that she let him do something. He was glad to find himself alone for the moment in her little dining room, if only to organize his thoughts. It wasn’t that he disliked the idea of being on a date with Demelza; it was more that he’d never thought of her in that light, even if he’d figured she’d had a crush on him. He’d known since he’d caught her the year before, staring at him in the swimming pool. He didn’t think she knew he’d seen her there, but see her he had; he’d felt her appreciate gaze on him the whole time.

But he’d never looked at her that way. Not until tonight. Ross’ world felt tilted; he hadn’t really had much time for desire since he came back home, had never thought to want anyone but Elizabeth and now he was faced with Demelza. He could picture himself on many more nights like this one; coming home, sharing the troubles of his days, as he had been doing anyway. He could imagine kissing her and holding her in his arms. He could imagine taking her to bed, revealing more of her body to himself.

Ross willed those thoughts away, as she came into the room, dishes in hand. He sat, not really looking at the food as he served himself, Demelza taking the seat closest to him. His focus was on her, even if only out of the corner of his eye. She wore a small smile as she served herself, as she poured them both wine. He didn’t think she ever looked over at him, but she seemed happy just to be around him. With a start, he realized he felt the same; even though they weren’t talking, he was content just to be around her.

“Dig in,” she encouraged, finally looking up at him. He shook his head at her and smiled, lifting his fork dramatically and digging in.

“Oh my god,” he exclaimed around the food in his mouth, his eyes slipping shut.

“What’s wrong?” she breathed. “Is it not good? I can make you something else if you don’t like it, sir. Oh, sir, I’m so sorry. I wanted so bad to make you a good meal.” And then she tried to take the plate of food away from him.

Ross held on to it defensively, sending her a teasing warning glare. “Don’t you dare, Demelza.”

“Sir?” she sounded so adorably uncertain, but all he wanted to do was eat the rest of his food. He took one bite, and then another, each time savoring how good her food was. “Sir, is it okay then?”

“Demelza, I assure you this is the best food I’ve had in years. You’re such a good cook, I’m practically having an orgasm over here.” He didn’t even care that _those_ were the words that came out of his mouth; he was too focused on enjoying her food. He couldn’t died happy in that moment, but her soft laughter cut through his focus. “Stop laughing at me!” he said, with a smile, but her laughter only grew loader.

“I’m just so relieved, Ross,” she laughed through the words, not seeming to notice that for once she’d called him by his name instead of calling him sir, and she looked so gorgeous. He leaned over, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to him. Her laughter had died out by the time his lips touched hers, passionate and fiery, and he wondered if he was lying to himself by thinking this was the first time he’d ever found himself desiring her. Demelza didn’t respond at first, but then she returned his passion with her own…

He felt his elbow hitting the glass, but paid it no mind until she gasped. Reluctantly, he pulled back, breathing hard. The wine glass had spilled all over her beautiful dress; she was trying to dab at it with napkins, but it was clear it wasn’t working. Stilling her hands with his, he smiled and said, “Go take the dress off, Demelza, and change into something else. I’ll pay to get it dry-cleaned.”

“Oh no, sir—“

“Ross,” he interrupted, not knowing why he was insisting, but somehow he knew that they’d started on a path they couldn’t turn back from. And he didn’t want to turn back. Already, he missed the feel of her lips under his, wanted them again. “And I insist. It’s my fault the wine spilled.”

“An argument could be made that my food is the reason the wine got spilled,” she teased, and he turned his head to the side and laughed. Seemingly reluctant, she pushed back from the table. Ross turned back to his plate, about to beseech her to hurry back, but she stopped, looking uncertain. It was her turn to swallow, and he imagined that whatever she was about to say, she was building her courage. “I can’t get out of the dress on my own.”

The food was forgotten in front of him as he stood to his feet and prowled toward her. She backed away and he followed her to her bedroom. Gripping her hips, he spun her around, making quick work of the zipper that he was certain she could undo on her own, but he didn’t care; he tried to ignore the twinge of anger he felt at her father for the scars still littering her back. Her neck looked especially tempting, though, distracting him away from the scars, and she titled her head to the side to allow him access when he moved his mouth over it; she let the wine-stained dress slip from her body. She wasn’t wearing a bra, he realized, his brain catching up with his eyes, the removal of her dress leaving her only in a pair of lacy panties. Ross ran a hand down her stomach, but he wanted to see her; she seemed to feel the same way, turning in his arms. Again, his lips found hers, and it was just as passionate as their fist embrace. She was panting softly, tantalizingly, as he pushed her onto her bed.

_I could go on kissing her forever_ , he thought, and meant it, he found. He felt her pushing the suit jacket from his shoulders, and he tried to help her as best he could, reluctant to move away from her. His tie followed, and he heard it hit the floor somewhere.

“Ross,” she panted against his lips, her fingers slipping against the buttons of his shirt. Taking pity on her, he rose from the bed, keeping his eyes on hers as he stripped first of his shirt, then his shoes, then his pants, joining her on the bed once more. He kissed her lips once, twice, before dragging his lips down her neck once more, then lower, his mouth and tongue and teeth circling first one nipple than another. All the while, she made the most appealing sounds, her fingers digging into his hair, her body rising off the bed to meet his mouth. Demelza let out a sound of distress when his lips left her body, and he smirked up at her as he pushed her legs further apart and moved himself down between them. Her chest was moving up and down, and she was looking up at him through hooded eyes.

Her back arched off the bed when he put his mouth on her through the underwear, surprised and pleased in equal measure to find she was wet through the thin lace. It was…intoxicating to be so wanted; he hooked his fingers into the sides of her underwear and pulled back from her only long enough to pull them off and toss them away.

“I like those,” he said before his mouth touched her again, this time against her upper thigh.

“Ross,” she whined, fingers digging into his hair once more, gently trying to pull him back to where she wanted him. He huffed out a laugh, kissing her other thigh before putting his mouth on her bundle of nerves. He licked and nipped at her, enjoying the way she was coming undone. He dragged one hand up from her knee, tracing a finger over and between her lips before pushing into her heat, hooking the finger to stroke her inner walls.

“Judas,” she gasped, and he laughed against her as he added a second finger to his ministrations. “Judas _god_ , Ross.” Demelza came unexpectedly, unrestrained, her body shuddering beneath his. He raised his eyes up to look at her, pleased to find her head thrown back, her skin delightfully flushed, mouth open in a silent scream as he worked her through her orgasm. When she came back down, her breath calming and her fingers loosing their hold on his hair, he kissed his way back up her body, her hands pushing insistently at his underwear. His hands joined her, helping, suddenly desperate to have no more barriers between them. He kicked them off, and Demelza giggled, the sound unexpected, but enough to make him laugh softly in return.

“I want you so much—“ he admitted at the same time that she said “I’ve wanted you for so long—“ making them both laugh again before she tugged his head down, the meeting of their lips sweeter this time, but slowly giving way to passion and teeth once more. He took her bottom lip between his teeth, sucking gently, his hands cupping and massaging her breasts. One hand drifted down, pushing her legs slightly further apart, the other going into her hair, pulling it out of the bun to spill across her pillow. He lined himself up with her opening—pausing a moment just to savor this moment, the feel of _Demelza_ beneath him, something he hadn’t known he wanted—and prepared to enter her.

“Ross,” her tone stopped him, and he looked up at her in question.

“We don’t have to—“

“No, no,” she was quick to say, “I want to. It’s just…I’ve never—“

“I know,” he said roughly. “I mean, I figured. We’ll go slow this time.” And he caught that, caught the implication that he was hoping for a next time, that he was planning on there being a next time. And he was.  

“All right,” she said with a smile, kissing him as he pushed into her, slowly, inch by inch, and she gasped into his mouth when he pushed through that last barrier. Giving her a minute to adjust, he contented himself with kissing her, but then she raised her hips up insistently. He smirked against her lips, pulling out of her before surging back in. “Judas, I never knew it could feel like this,” she admitted in a breathless whisper when she pulled her lips from his to breathe, but then she kissed him again and again. Ross gripped her hips, urging her to move. She did; she always was a quick learner. She moved with him, matching him thrust for thrust. There was no rhythm, not really, both of them desperate and needy. He pushed his thumb up against her clit, rubbing her, shuddering when she came around him, finding his own release moments later.

Ross only woke up because the sun was in his eyes. Again, he was filled with a sense of contentment, a feeling that only ever seemed to come anymore from the woman currently resting her head against his chest. He smiled softly, sleepily, stroking her red curls. “’Morning Demelza,” he greeted softly when he saw her eyes flutter.

“Mmmm,” she murmured groggily, stretching and then burrowing against his body before her stomach growled. Loudly. She popped up, looking so adorably embarrassed that he had to lean forward and kiss her, his hand going around the back of her head into her hair, desire gripping him once more. And then her stomach growled again and he pulled away with a laugh. “Breakfast?” she asked sheepishly.

He agreed readily, rising reluctantly from the bed, grabbing his underwear and pants and slipping them on, turning to find his shirt, only to see her buttoning it over her own body. He felt himself tightening in his pants, an unexpected reaction to finding her wearing his shirt.

“I hope you don’t mind,” she quipped before skipping down the hall, leaving him to trail behind her. He could fall in love with her, he realized, and wasn’t unhappy with the thought.  

**Author's Note:**

> The dress shape I described is from [here](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/417145984215440686/) and the color is based on the color from the show


End file.
